Matthew Weller

Assistant Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences

About

I am a planetary scientist and geophysicist whose research focuses on the dynamics and evolution of planetary interiors and surfaces. My work explores how the deep interior and surface interact to shape planetary atmospheres, surface conditions, tectonic regimes, and long-term planetary habitability. I use numerical modeling and theoretical analysis to investigate a wide range of processes, including the formation of Olympus Mons on Mars, the tectonic evolution of Earth and Venus, insolation-driven convection and ice shell failure on outer solar system satellites, and the conditions that enable or inhibit plate tectonics on rocky planets.

I have developed a strong interest in wine and winemaking, particularly in how the geology of a terroir shapes the flavor profile of otherwise similar grape varieties. When not in the office, I am often out hiking with my two huskies.

If you are interested in joining my group or learning more about the research I do, please visit my website or contact me.

Education & Training

PhD in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Rice University 

MSc in Remote Sensing, University of Nevada, Reno 

BSc (Dual) in Earth and Environmental Sciences and Astrophysics - Math Minor, University of Toledo

Research

Other Focus Areas
  • Geophysics
  • Tectonics
  • Geodynamics
  • Planetary Science
  • Exoplanets
  • Habitability
  • Thermal Evolution

Publications

The following is a selection of recent publications in Scopus. Matthew Weller has 24 indexed publications in the subjects of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Physics and Astronomy.

Julian Garrido-Tomasini, Adrian Lenardic, William Moore, Matthew Weller
Geophysical Journal International
, 241
, 2025
, pp.203-218
.
Julia Semprich, Justin Filiberto, Matthew Weller, Jennifer Gorce, Nolan Clark
Nature Communications
, 16
, 2025
.
Thomas Widemann, Suzanne E. Smrekar, James B. Garvin, Anne Grete Straume-Lindner, Adriana C. Ocampo, Mitchell D. Schulte, Thomas Voirin, Scott Hensley, M. Darby Dyar, Jennifer L. Whitten, Daniel C. Nunes, Stephanie A. Getty, Giada N. Arney, Natasha M. Johnson, Erika Kohler, Tilman Spohn, Joseph G. O’Rourke, Colin F. Wilson, Michael J. Way, Colby Ostberg, Frances Westall, Dennis Höning, Seth Jacobson, Arnaud Salvador, Guillaume Avice, Doris Breuer, Lynn Carter, Martha S. Gilmore, Richard Ghail, Jörn Helbert, Paul Byrne, Alison R. Santos, Robert R. Herrick, Noam Izenberg, Emmanuel Marcq, Tobias Rolf, Matt Weller, Cedric Gillmann, Oleg Korablev, Lev Zelenyi, Ludmila Zasova, Dmitry Gorinov, Gaurav Seth, C. V.Narasimha Rao, Nilesh Desai
Space Science Reviews
, 219
, 2023
.
Matthew B. Weller, Alexander J. Evans, Daniel E. Ibarra, Alexandria V. Johnson
Nature Astronomy
, 7
, 2023
, pp.1436-1444
.
Thomas Widemann, Suzanne E. Smrekar, James B. Garvin, Anne Grete Straume-Lindner, Adriana C. Ocampo, Mitchell D. Schulte, Thomas Voirin, Scott Hensley, M. Darby Dyar, Jennifer L. Whitten, Daniel C. Nunes, Stephanie A. Getty, Giada N. Arney, Natasha M. Johnson, Erika Kohler, Tilman Spohn, Joseph G. O’Rourke, Colin F. Wilson, Michael J. Way, Colby Ostberg, Frances Westall, Dennis Höning, Seth Jacobson, Arnaud Salvador, Guillaume Avice, Doris Breuer, Lynn Carter, Martha S. Gilmore, Richard Ghail, Jörn Helbert, Paul Byrne, Alison R. Santos, Robert R. Herrick, Noam Izenberg, Emmanuel Marcq, Tobias Rolf, Matt Weller, Cedric Gillmann, Oleg Korablev, Lev Zelenyi, Ludmila Zasova, Dmitry Gorinov, Gaurav Seth, C. V.Narasimha Rao, Nilesh Desai
Space Science Reviews
, 219
, 2023
.
Robert R. Herrick, Evan T. Bjonnes, Lynn M. Carter, Taras Gerya, Richard C. Ghail, Cédric Gillmann, Martha Gilmore, Scott Hensley, Mikhail A. Ivanov, Noam R. Izenberg, Nils T. Mueller, Joseph G. O’Rourke, Tobias Rolf, Suzanne E. Smrekar, Matthew B. Weller
Space Science Reviews
, 219
, 2023
.
Joseph G. O’Rourke, Colin F. Wilson, Madison E. Borrelli, Paul K. Byrne, Caroline Dumoulin, Richard Ghail, Anna J.P. Gülcher, Seth A. Jacobson, Oleg Korablev, Tilman Spohn, M. J. Way, Matt Weller, Frances Westall
Space Science Reviews
, 219
, 2023
.
M. J. Way, Colby Ostberg, Bradford J. Foley, Cedric Gillmann, Dennis Höning, Helmut Lammer, Joseph O’Rourke, Moa Persson, Ana Catalina Plesa, Arnaud Salvador, Manuel Scherf, Matthew Weller
Space Science Reviews
, 219
, 2023
.
Tobias Rolf, Matt Weller, Anna Gülcher, Paul Byrne, Joseph G. O’Rourke, Robert Herrick, Evan Bjonnes, Anne Davaille, Richard Ghail, Cedric Gillmann, Ana Catalina Plesa, Suzanne Smrekar
Space Science Reviews
, 218
, 2022
.

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